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Five Unique Ways to Have a Spooky Good Halloween with the Kids

Pumpkins, colorful leaves, ghosts and goblins. Yes, it’s the spookiest time of year. Kids everywhere are planning their costumes and parents are trying to figure out not to eat all the candy this year. This is definitely a fun time of year with kids, and luckily for us here in the Sacramento area we have so many fun activities to keep those goblins busy with fun. From pumpkin patches and hay mazes to haunted houses and scary stories, there is something for everyone at every age in your family.

Here are my top 5 upcoming and ongoing Halloween festivities in the area:

Pumpkin Nights at the Gold Country Fairground, located at 1273 High St. Auburn. This is the first year that Sacramento has hosted this event, and from the looks of it, I’m guessing it won’t be the last! Visitors can experience Halloween in a whole new light… literally! Pumpkin Nights will feature eight immersive lands created with over 3,000 hand carved pumpkins. Take a walk through Harry Potter’s Great Hall, a tropical island land where pirates protect the pumpkin treasure, Dia de los Muertos and so much more. This is an event for all ages to view some very talented carvers and become lost in another world. Tickets for Pumpkin Nights are on sale online and are $20 for adults and $16 for children. This event will take place nightly through October 29 from 6:30- 10:30 Sunday-Thursday and 6:30-midnight on Friday and Saturday.

Boo at the Zoo at the Sacramento Zoo is an annual tradition. On October 28 and 29, families can dress up in costume and trick or treat in a safe environment around the zoo and the wild animals. Kids can have their face painted; enjoy crafts and other Halloween themed activities. Live entertainment including a magician and animal keeper chats will be going on throughout the day. You can purchase tickets to this event online and the tickets range from $14-$16.

Spookomotive Train Ride presented by the California State Railroad Museum. Kids can yell “All Aboard” as they head out away from the Old Sacramento train station and enjoy a whimsical ride along the river. Each weekend is a different theme and they will have entertainment related to the themes and Halloween treats. This activity is great for kids of all ages. The spooky train runs October 14, 15, 21, 22, 28 and 29. Tickets range from $3-$25 depending on if you would like to be seated in coach or first class.

Safetyville’s Annual Halloween Haunt will be held on October 28 from 11am-4pm. This is a perfect event for your youngest of children, as they can prance around in their costumes at the Costume Parade; enjoy food, drinks and raffles. Get lost in a Hay Maze and enjoy games all throughout the Safetyville “town”. $5 per person and 2 and under are FREE.

For the more mature audience, head to Old Sacramento for some history and a bit of a scare at the annual Ghost Tour walk. Join other “ghosts” of on an eerie journey into time. Beware of characters from the Gold Rush, wayward miners and even some stories of murder victims. This is definitely not for the weak of heart. They encourage families, but as long as children are mature and they prefer no one under the age of 8. These tours depart from the Sacramento History Museum at 101 I Street in Old Sacramento. Dress for the weather and be prepared for about a mile long walk. Purchase tickets online and they can only accommodate up to 25 people, so order soon. Tours run every half hour starting at 6:30 and ending at 9pm on Friday and Saturday evenings through the end of October. Tickets are $15 adults and $10 for youth.

There are also several pumpkin patches, hay mazes and corn fields in the area to visit and enjoy. Whatever you choose to do, enjoy the season and all the candy that you may receive.

2 thoughts on “Five Unique Ways to Have a Spooky Good Halloween with the Kids”

Just got home from Pumpkin Nights and felt like it was a total bust. I don’t think there was a single real jack-o-lantern, only 3 food trucks and we were hoping for some “fair” sweet treats – they only had store bought pumpkin pie for $4 a slice. It took about 30 minutes to see everything and it cost $50 with the family pack deal. At least parking was free.

Thank you for your feedback Nic. We are sorry your experience at Pumpkin Nights was disappointing. We are looking more closely at the event and have contacted the organizers to get more information about why your experience was what it was and whether we want to keep this event as one of our top 5. We’ll keep you posted.